Over the next two weeks we’ll be working hard to accurately document all our conversations and interactions (the numbers NOT the details!) along with how and when ACC is open, for whom, how many people are attending formal programs onsite and at other sites in the neighbourhood, and how many are using our more informal community services … like the book library, the seats out on the corner, the gardens, dropping food off for Andy to take to ASRC etc. etc.

All this information will be fed into a survey run by NHVic (our peak body) that will aggregate data across the State to provide the Victorian Government with a snapshot of how their $$ investment in the neighbourhood house sector is being used, the leverage they are getting from the investment and the direct and indirect value being generated at the grassroots community level by neighbourhood houses.

We’ll also get a report back providing us with a $$ value around our service provision. I’ll share it when it comes in.

It is quite interesting to understand how economists are starting to put a figure on our types of organisations (that deliver soft services which have traditionally been undervalued or completely non-valued externalities in economic terms).

I would note that as the model is still being developed, some of our service provision is still falling through the cracks … it’s easy enough to put a $$ figure on community lunch (in terms of the value of a meal provided) … harder to put a $$ figure on a conversation about local kinders and how the system works, for someone new to Australia, or to assign true value to the individual and community benefit from someone on our staff taking the time to listen and care about a local feeling down and/or lonely.

But anyway, it’s great that they’re trying. And we’ll be doing our best to accurately capture all the things that happen at, and that are associated with ACC over the next couple of weeks!